Associate Protection Officer

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

UNHCR in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s main objectives are aimed at strengthening identification and referral of people in need of international protection, access to free legal aid, psychosocial assistance, accommodation and recreational/educational activities for asylum-seekers with specific needs. UNHCR also supports BiH in integrating recognized refugees and persons under subsidiary protection, including upgrading the legal framework.

Furthermore, UNHCR supports the authorities within the Regional Housing Programme – initiated by UNHCR and designed to find solutions for the protracted displacement situation from the conflicts in the nineties.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) experienced a substantial increase in mixed movement arrivals from 2018 (over 85,000 at the end of 2021). In 2021, the BiH authorities registered the asylum claims of 167 individuals, a 32% decrease from the 245 claims registered in 2020, which was already a significant decrease compared to 2018 (1,572) and 2019 (785).

Under the direct supervision of Senior Protection Officer, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Through relationships with persons of concern, authorities and network of partners stay abreast of political, social, economic, and cultural developments that have an impact on the protection environment and provide advice to senior management. • Ensure that the perspectives, capacities, needs and resources of the persons of concerns are reflected in the protection strategy, planning processes and operations plan addressing the specific protection needs of women and men, children, youth and older persons, persons with disabilities, minority groups such as sexual minorities and persons living with HIV/AIDS; • Utilize the Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) footprint during the planning process; • Coordinate the promotion of international refugee law principles and standards and also IDP legislation or policies ensuring that all sectors and clusters fulfill their responsibilities mainstreaming protection; • Coordinate the implementation and monitoring of programmes ensuring that identified protection needs, including an Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) approach, are adequately addressed; • Provide policy guidance and operational support to UNHCR and partners on all protection related issues; • Provide legal advice and guidance on protection issues to internal and external interlocutors; ensure legal assistance is accessible to persons of concern; liaise with competent authorities to ensure the issuance of personal and other relevant documents to persons of concern (civil documentation, in particular birth certificates); • Monitor, and assist with the intervention in cases of refoulement, expulsion and other protection incidents through working relations with governments and other partners; • Assist in the coordinated implementation and oversight of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all protection/solutions activities; • Ensure that durable solutions through voluntary repatriation, local integration and where appropriate, resettlement are sought and provided to the largest possible number of persons of concern; • Ensure through direct action and advocacy with more senior protection staff that the necessary resources are allocated to enable protection activities to identify and address protection and assistance gaps; • Support a consultative process with government counterparts at local levels, partners and persons of concern to develop and implement integrated strategies that address the key protection priorities, including, for example, child protection, education and SGBV, and solutions approaches; • Promote confidence building and conflict resolution among populations of concern, authorities and host communities; • Maintain protection presence through regular field missions and reports, making direct contact with persons of concern, host communities, local authorities and partners. In operations applying the humanitarian cluster system, contribute to ensuring that the response of the Protection Cluster is grounded in an AGD-compliant strategy which covers all assessed and prioritized protection needs of the affected populations;
• Contribute to the Protection team's information management component which: provide disaggregated data on populations of concern and their problems; researches, collects and disseminates relevant protection information and good practices to enhance protection delivery and provide technical advice if necessary; • Ensure participatory, community-based protection and AGD approaches are included in, strategies and plans in the country operation; • Support persons of concern to develop structures that enhance their participation and protection.

• Accountability • Integrity • Teamwork and respect for diversity • Commitment to continuous learning • Planning and organizing: • Communication • Flexibility • Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary

/with refugees and/or other people of concern in a protection capacity. • Field experience is desirable; • Commitment to help persons of concern and willingness to cooperate with counterparts • Knowledge of UN policies and procedures; • Good analytical skills; • Strong interpersonal and communication skills in a multi-cultural setting; • Ability to live and work in the difficult and harsh conditions of developing countries is essential. • Experience working in the UN or other international development organization is an added advantage; • Knowledge of the humanitarian reform process and roles/responsibilities of humanitarian actors; Strong analytical, coordination and organizational skills; • Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills; • Accuracy and professionalism in document production and editing; • Ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development; • Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel; • Computer literate; proficiency in MS Office applications (Word, Excel, etc); knowledge of publishing software an asset. • Editing and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment; • Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines; • Sound security awareness.

Sarajevo is the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and the largest urban center and a major center of culture and economic development in BiH, with an estimated population of 400.000. The city is situated along the Miljacka river and surrounded by the Dinaric Alps. The city is famous for its traditional religious diversity, with adherents of Islam, Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Judaism coexisting there for centuries; There are no administrative or other restrictions, apart from visa on international staff members’ travelling in/within/from the country, depends on the nationality; Sarajevo's climate exhibits influences of oceanic (Cfb), humid continental (Dfa) and humid subtropical (Cfa) zones, with four seasons; Regular medical facilities are available, with two main hospitals (City Hospital and the Clinical Center) and a significant number of small private clinics; General sanitary and hygiene conditions are adequate; Good local banking facilities are available (use of credit cards, ATMs); Communication services (domestic and international) are available on a regular basis; Availability of food, furnishings and other necessities is adequate (various grocery stores and markets with fresh food products, shopping centers, etc); Public transportation is available (tram, bus, trolleybus, taxi); Public water supply, electricity and sewerage system are in place; Accommodation is available in the private houses or apartments. Hotels facilities are adequate; International schools, located within commuting distance, providing primary and secondary education, and that offers an International Baccalaureate program or equivalent are available in English and French language; Various leisure, recreational and sports facilities are available.

The overall security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is generally stable. The security risks are currently assessed as Low (Security Level 2) in the UN Security Level System. Based on UNDSS decision, there are two security zones in BiH and for travel to USC obtaining the TRIP clearance is mandatory. All international agencies consider threats to their staff to be low at this time. However, problems from pickpockets to traffic accidents exist so staff should exercise appropriate personal security awareness and common sense; BiH is a country with the largest mine contamination problem. The current size of the suspected mine risk area in BiH is around 950 m2 or almost 2% of the total territory of BiH. Staff is advised to stay on well-travelled routes while in the country; Other potential risks: unpredictable behavior of religious extremists; continuing political fragility in the country and the region, including nationalist rivalries and threats of secession; unstable weapons and explosives left over from the war; unrest arising from high risk sporting competitions or demonstrations/civil protests, moderate risk of earthquakes and landslides; pollution, fires or explosions due to unregulated industry, gas leaks or old ammunition dumps.

UN Volunteer entitlements and allowances: The purpose of the allowances and entitlements paid to UN Volunteers is to enable UN Volunteers to sustain a secure standard of living at the duty stations in line with United Nations standards without incurring personal costs. The allowances are in no way to be understood as compensation, reward, or salary in exchange for the UN Volunteer’s service. Contingent on specific eligibility criteria, location of the volunteer assignment and contractual type and category, the payment of allowances will begin from the date of Commencement of Service For more information on entitlements please read the Condition of Service (https://explore.unv.org/cos) and use the entitlement calculator (https://app.unv.org/calculator) for the most up to date information